Mung Bean Jelly Recipe - Korean Savory Jello

If you've never had muk (or mook, nokdumuk) before, then it's a little bit hard to imagine. Muk is the consistency and look of American jello, but it is not sweet at all. It has very little flavor itself and takes on whatever sauce you pour on it or serve it with. In Korean cuisine, it's usually a flavor-filled soy-based sauce.

Muk is made of bean powder, and it can be described as green bean jelly, mung bean jelly, or mung bean starch on a package or in a store. You can busy green bean powder in any Korean grocery store, and will also probably find it many general Asian grocery stores in the states.

What You'll Need

For the Korean Savory Jello:

1/4 cup mung bean powder (available at Korean grocery stores)

1/2 tsp sea salt

For the sauce:

1/3 cup soy sauce

1 tsp minced garlic

2 scallions, minced

1 tsp roasted sesame seeds

1 Tbsp sesame oil

Optional: 1 tsp kochukaru (chili pepper powder)

1 pkg. roasted seaweed laver (gim), shredded or cut into thin strips

How to Make It

Combine the 1/4 cup mung bean starch powder with 1 3/4 cups of water in a soup pot.

Heat up over high heat to boiling, stirring from time to time with a whisk.

Reduce heat to medium-high heat as soon as it starts to bubble, and cook for another 15 minutes.

The muk is ready to be taken off the heat when it has thickened and is bubbly.

Pour the jelly into a baking pan or casserole dish.

After it has cooled down to room temperature, transfer the pan or dish into the refrigerator so that it can set.

In 2-3 hours, it will solidify into the consistency and bounciness of jello.

Remove from the refrigerator and cut muk into rectangles, squares, or thin strips.

In a mixing bowl, combine all the sauce ingredients and pour generously over a plate of sliced bean jello.

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